Don't waste your right to vote
It's only human to be blasé when things run smoothly. Cantabrians were reminded of this recently. When the ground shook violently beneath them during a destructive earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale, they awoke to a new world. It was a rude awakening.
We take things for granted. Accessible roads. Potable drinking water. Flushing toilets. Safe buildings. The right to vote.
So why do people choose not to vote? We know the smooth running of many services is due to decisions made by councils and councillors. And we should know Canterbury's efficient response was due, in good part, to councils' robust regulations around building standards, foresight in city planning and well rehearsed disaster preparedness. Surely we can connect the dots?
The buck stops with you, the voter. If you don't vote you have no control over how your council spends your hard earned money. Still, the message isn't getting through.
Complexity is probably a good reason why people aren't voting. It's not an easy process to negotiate, or find the time to try and understand, when you're busy paying the mortgage and making sure the kids are fed. Different voting systems for health boards and councillors, myriad candidates and a postal ballot, which is open for three weeks, transpires against putting in the effort.
But if you take it back to basics and remind yourself your council spends your money on your behalf on things which affect you every day of your life, it's a democratic no brainer.
Things should be easier this year. A new website, elections2010.co.nz, offers a centralised portal which captures an unprecedented range of candidate information. From information on voting, boundaries and candidates, voters will have access to much more information than they've ever had in once place. And, if you don't know who's representing your ward, just type in your street address.
This is a first in New Zealand and I hope it makes the process that much easier for you this election so you can take advantage of your very important, and hard won, right to vote.
Mike Reid
Governance manager, Local Government New Zealand
Posted 13 September 2010
